


10.Cutting Partner's Hair

by w_hope



Series: KHR Flufftober 2020 [10]
Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: (i humbly propose we canonize this tag as a fandom), Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Chrome Being Her Own Person-Mukuro Who?, Chrome Stayed in Kokuyo with the Kokuyo Gang, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Light Angst, Minor or Background Chrome & Kokuyo Gang, Minor or Background Chrome & M.M, Not Beta Read, POV Third Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26730634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/w_hope/pseuds/w_hope
Summary: Chrome gives herself a new haircut.*Inspired by thisfanart
Relationships: Chrome Dokuro & Rokudou Mukuro
Series: KHR Flufftober 2020 [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1945450
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

Cheers and whoops and whistles erupt at her entrance, and Chrome freezes. Confetti falls on her while Fran blows on a party blower, and Ken and Chikusa clap with way over the top enthusiasm on their face.

Chrome spreads her flames for a literal reality check. It _is_ real, and she can’t even blush because of how weird it is.

“What… are you doing?”

M.M bursts out laughing off to the side, and of course it’s her doing, she should have known. Mukuro lies on the couch his headphones on his head and his phone in his hands, turned their way but she can’t tell if he spared any interest at her new haircut or not.

The boys blush, except for Fran who is now complimenting her haircut in his monotone voice of his, in between blowing on his blower.

Ken points at M.M. “You carrot head, what’s so funny? _You_ made us do this!”

M.M throws back her head further and laughs harder. She waves her phone in an unrepentant, confessing manner, and Ken blushes deeper.

“Chikusa?”

“M.M wanted us to compliment you on your new haircut once you’d be back.” He rearranges his beanie, his face still undeniably red. “And on a serious note… it suits you.”

Chikusa immediately turns his back on her.

“Thank you,” she says quickly before he can walk away too much.

Ken and M.M gets louder, and she tunes them out to focus on Fran instead. She puts her hand on top of his head, crouches to his level.

“Fran.” The party blower and confetti disappear, and Fran quiets down. “Give me your honest thoughts?”

She chose to keep her hair short at the end, but went for an asymmetrical cut, her hair longer on her right side than her left. A braid keeps her fringe away from her face on the side of her good eye.

Fran runs his fingers alongside the braid, then down the top of her head where there’s no longer a tuft of hair sticking out.

“It’s nice, but now master is the only pineapple among us. Do you think it will make him sad? I think it will make him sad. I’m going to ask him.”

Chrome ruffles his hair gently. “Thank you Fran, please don’t go ask him.”

Fran goes on his way to ask Mukuro, and Chrome can admit to herself his teasing of them all never fail to amuse her.

Chikusa gives her a glance as she stands next to him, glances back at Ken and M.M. “Ken, enough. Be a man and tell her what you honestly think.”

Chrome shots him a look she knows he feels even if he doesn’t acknowledge it. She didn’t ask for anything.

She purposefully doesn’t look Ken in the eye when he whips around.

“What did you say Kakikpi? Who the hell are you calling not a man?”

“Prove it then, dumb beast,” M.M edges him on. “What do you honestly think of Chrome’s haircut? Isn’t she pretty like that?”

Ken splutters, gets louder, quiets down. Chrome ducks her head when she feels his eyes on him, and has not so nice thoughts about Chikusa and M.M crossing her mind.

“Well?”

Ken snaps. “You carrot head, do you want a fight? How the hell should I know, do I look like a stupid girl to you? It’s just a haircut, who cares!”

Chikusa and her sigh for entirely different reason.

“Ken, you’re really a child.”

“Kakipi-byon, which side are you on?”

“Let’s just go back to Mukuro-sama.”

“And you better hurry up lest some balls grow on you.” M.M throws her back again, and gives her most fake, high-pitched laugh.

Ken’s Sun flames roar to life. Chrome hits the floor with her trident, and vines snatch both Ken’s cartridge and M.M’s clarinet.

Honestly, these two.

“Ken, Mimi-chan, no.”

Chikusa grabs Ken’s jacket, and drags him away spluttering and struggling. “Ken, you’re embarrassing.”

Chrome directs her vines to slip Ken’s cartridge in Chikusa’s pocket, for him to give him back at the right time. She draws back M.M’s clarinet when she reaches for it, but she only rolls her eyes and snatches it back.

“Mimi-chan.”

“What? He’s _so_ easy to riled up, is it my fault?”

“Yes.”

M.M rolls her eyes again. “Oh never mind him, look at you!” She bounces on her, not quite glomping her in her arms. “This is much better, but I thought we settled on keeping them long?”

“I know, but it would have been a hindrance in battles.”

“I guess, but I’m sure we could have come up with a cute way to tie them up. Anyway.” She pets her hair, lets them slip in between her fingers. “It brings out your face, I like it. Did you take a good look at it yet?”

Her look tells Chrome she already knows the answer to that. Chrome gives a non-committal shrug, and straight up lies. “Yes, once the hairdresser was done.”

“Whatever you say Chrome. Come here, let’s take a picture.” M.M draws her to her side, squishes their cheek together. Chrome tries to even out her pouty look so it doesn’t ruin the picture.

It’s not her fault she feels exposed like that. Chrome doesn’t think any bad thoughts about her, not really, but she hasn't such a high opinion of her she’d think it worth it to bring out her face. Her face, or anything else about her really.

She likes to think this is the first baby step of many to change that though.

M.M takes the pictures, and at the corner of her eyes she notices Mukuro leaving the room without so much as a glance their way. When she glances at Fran from across the room, he mists a white, gosthly form of Mukuro ascending to the ceiling.

“Mukuro-chan can be quite childish too, can’t he?” M.M bumps their hips. “Don’t let it get to you, you’re _rocking_ this haircut.”

Chrome smiles. “I won’t. Make sure to send me the pictures, alright?”

M.M winks.

They go their separate way, M.M to the boys and her after Mukuro. She finds him in his room, rummaging in his fridge.

“Mukuro-kun.”

“My dear Chrome, what I can do for you? Or will it be ‘Nagi’ soon?”

Chrome takes a moment to think about it. “Not anytime soon, I don’t think so. But one day… I’d like to be able to reclaim the name one day, even if I end up never using it again.”

Mukuro gives her a long, meaningful look, sits on the couch with a drink in hands.

“Can I come in?”

“Anytime. What is it?”

Chrome shakes her head, a little smile playing on her lips. “It’s just that your hair became quite long too.”

“Oya, are you offering? Please do, I just can’t seem to ever find the time.”

Mukuro straightens in the couch, flips his hair above its edge.

Chrome can count on the fingers of one hand the times she did M.M’s hair, and it was never about cutting them, and she never did anything to anyone’s hair before.

But if worse comes to worst, Ken will be able to deal with it anyway.

She indulges herself by only weaving her fingers through his silk-like hair—softer than hers—first.

“I know for a fact long hair would suit you, if you don’t mind me asking.”

Mukuro sighs. “Wouldn’t it? Unfortunately I would rather drink bleach than resembling any further to this preposterous of a so-called ancestor.”

“Are you sure? I thought your Ten Years Later self really quite handsome.”

“Oya? Chrome, what are you saying?” He cranes his head back to raise his eyebrow. “What was I all this time if not ‘quite really handsome’?”

Chrome laughs. “Not less handsome in any case, Mukuro-kun.”

“Kufufufu, I must say, it feels quite nice to be able to talk with you like this now. Do I have Sawada Tsunayoshi and his Guardians to thank for that? Or is it these new civilians friends of yours.”

“They were of great help yes, as all of you.”

“But do they treat you well? They keep your trips in Namimori fun for you, don’t they? If not—”

“Mukuro-kun,” Chromes chides fondly, “if they weren’t I would have told you, but only after I’d take care of it myself.”

“Of course, of course.” His head twitches like he was about to shake it. “But I’m quite saddened you wouldn’t let me take part in the fun with you.”

Chrome chuckles. She makes appear scissor out of her Mist flames, and works at his hair slowly but surely. A comfortable silence falls around them.

“Mukuro-kun?”

“What is it?”

“It feels really nice to me too.”

Mukuro doesn’t answer, but she notices his shoulders relaxing further. His flames brush against her more easily too.

“Mukuro-kun, do you remember that day? The feelings I faced you with at the moment?”

“Of course. How could I not?”

“I think I might have been mistaken. I want to protect you, but you don’t need protecting. I want to protect the things dear to you, but they’re dear to me now, and not only through you anymore. And—” Chrome’s heart doubts for the briefest of moment. She knows she’s still behind from Mukuro, from Boss and her fellow Guardians, but she has the resolve. She has the Will. She can’t let herself doubt anymore. “—I don’t need to be protected either.”

“Oya my dear Chrome, do you think you’re telling me something I didn’t already know?” Chrome blinks, and Mukuro laughs like he’s seen it. “Chrome, I am the first person who saw your potential, and the only one who never doubted it from then on. I never once saw you as someone needing protection.”

Chrome feels herself beam. Her heart fills with warmth, and a grin pulls at her lips.

“I thought—after all we went through I realized that what I really want is for us to stand side by side. To support each other. To make our wishes true together. If you’ll have me,” she adds softly.

Mukuro tuts, but she can tell he’s only teasing. “And you were doing so good until then.” He stands, shakes the hair from his shoulder. “How do I look?”

“Quite really handsome.” He smirks, and she huffs a laugh.

“But not quite at your level I’m afraid, even less now you went and did your hair so beautifully.”

Chrome feels hot on the cheeks, but lets her flattered smile blooms on her face, lets herself meet his eye. “Thank you, Mukuro-kun.”

“Well, should we talk about these wishes of ours then?” Mukuro puts his hand on his hip, his smirk taking on something devilish. “But not to worry, I know in my heart yours include world domination too, dear Chrome of mine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this one is maybe too on the nose, but I really like it like that anyway.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Any and all review are appreciated. Thank you for reading!
> 
> \--- w_h


	2. Bonus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some thoughts/headcanons I have about this verse.

  * This happens sometimes post-canon, and the whole “Chrome getting kicked out of Kokuyo” arc DID NOT HAPPEN. Not the way it happened in canon anyway.
  * In this verse Chrome and Mukuro actually COMMUNICATED with each other.



* * *

  * Mukuro is free from Vindice and gets back his own body, and of course Chrome is over the moon for him. But also it throws their relationship into an inevitable new development, whether they like it or not, whether they’re ready for it or not.
  * Chrome was _not_ ready for it, and struggles with it.
  * (But would she had ever deem herself ready if it was left up to her?)
  * She struggles to define where she stands in relation to Mukuro now that he is his own person, now that _she_ is her own person; to define where she stands in relation to the Kokuyo gang.
  * She struggles about what she is going to mean for them now, what does she _want_ to mean for them now; struggles about wanting to still belong but not knowing if she still has the right to belong.
  * (And on top of it all she blames herself for the little part of her soul that mourns the fact Mukuro and her are not halves of one mind and body anymore, won’t ever be again.)



* * *

  * I headcanon she starts thinking about it all since they got back from the future because of the whole “Mukuro maybe died” thing. It would have made her think, even if she actively didn’t think too hard about it until she had too.
  * M.M is all for it, and actively encourages her to spread her wings while reassuring her on some of her doubts. You know why?
  * BECAUSE THEY’RE FRIENDS _GODDAMNIT_ AMANO **_GIRLS!!!_** **_FRIENDSHIP!!!_**
  * And yes M.M has her eyes on Mukuro, and Chrome may or may not have some romantic feelings for him too/could or could not come to develop romantic feelings for him, but SO WHAT?
  * M.M knows her priorities and her priority at the moment is this formerly civilian girl new to the mafia, and having Mukuro as her only rock to get through it all isn’t exactly the best for her.



* * *

  * I mean I _do_ believe Mukuro came to have only good intentions about her, but also he’s a highly traumatized boy who has yet to process any of his trauma, and has a really warped/twisted (but not necessarily wrong) and hateful view of the mafia/world, and willing to go to extremes to unleash what he sees as a rightful punishment.
  * So, you know, not the most stable of rock out there.
  * And M.M isn’t at all trying to stop Chrome’s feelings about him to follow their natural course, “but Chrome, sweetheart, you don't have to give up everything about you for him and his desires. You shouldn’t. You have the right to be your own person no matter how great the deed he did for you is, and even if it means you two will have different, clashing opinions sometimes.”
  * (And really, Chrome _wants_ that. She realizes there’s only so much she can bring on the table for Mukuro/the Kokuyo gang by only being Mukuro’s shadow.)
  * (But who’d ever want _Nagi_ by their side? Mukuro was certainly the first who ever did.)



* * *

  * In the meantime Mukuro has his own struggles. He’s free now, actually, _legally_ free with his own body, and nothing stops him to follow on his plans of world domination/destruction. In theory anyway.
  * In practice none of them are on the run anymore, none of them need to hide or look above their shoulders as much for an oncoming threat, and Kokuyo Center Park isn’t what you can call a home at all but it’s theirs, and they all go to school, and…
  * A normal life has no right to appeal to him as much as it does, but it does.
  * The normalcy of seeing sunsets, and getting rained on, and doing homework, and complaining about stupid teachers and stupider classmates, of coming home and saying “I’m back” and hearing “Welcome back”, and eating meals together…
  * It throws him off, to say the least.
  * But then the mafia is still filled with Estraneo-like people, and _someone_ has to take care of them, and who else will if not him? Who else cares about it except him?
  * (Mukuro certainly has yet to see anyone else lift if only a finger.)



* * *

  * And then there’s Sawada Tsunayoshi who’s the key to unleash some justice onto the mafia world (some justice for himself he was never given), but just so happens to be his Sky too, whether he likes it or not.
  * And he’s still learning to not pity him, and to not make him bear his out of place optimistic views of the world and people, but he fought besides him. Showed him his back and never looked back to see if he was actually gonna protect it and not stab it. Accepted Chrome even while knowing Mukuro could take over any moment.
  * And he condemns what Mukuro did, and fought him and stopped him because he endangered what was dear to him, but…
  * (Sawada Tsunayoshi learned of what he went through, what he did, and he didn’t look away. But he didn’t turn his back on him either, the fool, the trusting child.)
  * Then there’s his manic Skylark, and his just slightly less manic other Guardians. And it hurts him to admit, but their brand of chaos and “fun” and their tendency of defying rules and authority are right there beside his.
  * (And what do you know, he doesn’t need to be covered in blood and have cold bodies lying at his feet to feel alive.)



* * *

  * But what is he supposed to do, let it go, moving on? Who is he supposed to be without this burden on his shoulders?
  * (He was never anyone else.)
  * (And who’d want to bother protecting the boy curled in his cage, swallowing back his cries? To offer him safety? The world only ever took advantage of him.)
  * But now he has these people he actually cares about, and who followed him so far already. What right does he have to drag them deeper in the mafia they all hate for his own gain, now they can have _this_ instead?
  * (The thing they should have had from the beginning, the thing they’re so bitter, so resentful it was taken from them.)
  * (The thing they didn’t think they would ever have again.)



* * *

  * Of course they don’t tell each other all that. Not in so many words anyway, or at all really lol. I mean, open, honest communication in the world of KHR? Don’t know her.
  * But they shared a mind for like a year or so, and they don’t exactly need to _tell_ each other anything anymore.
  * So when the representative battles come around, they agree to be on different teams, agree the distance will help them figure their shit at their own pace, and without burdening/influencing the other.
  * Chrome still attends Namimori middle (and move in Namimori I guess), because it’s easier like that while she’s on team Reborn. But she most definitely moves back to Kokuyo once the rainbow arc is over.
  * (I love the potential of Chrome being in Namimori, especially when it comes to her friendship with the girls and getting to get closer to the other Guardians, but she can do that from Kokuyo.)
  * (Imo she is a member of Kokuyo gang first and foremost, and it _has_ to be a very dear part of her identity because it’s where she belonged for the first time, and where she felt safe, and more importantly where she found _people_ she belongs with and feels safe with.)



* * *

  * She’s on team Reborn from the very beginning, and comes to the same conclusion as canon at the end of the arc.
  * And she comes back to the Kokuyo gang with a great boost in her confidence because what the hell, she fought in a free for all with all the strongest fighters in her generation and _stood her ground_.
  * She fought against the _Vindice_ and **_made a difference_**. Way to go girl, cheers to her!
  * She does do the trip to Namimori every now and then to see the girls (and more and more the Guardians too), and vice-versa. M.M eventually ends up getting introduced to the girls too. Bianchi is often enough in the picture too.
  * (M.M and her do _not_ get along.)
  * When Chrome’s hair start growing, M.M is _here for it_. She encourages her to let them grow, and then change her haircut entirely, and Chrome feels ready for it.
  * And I don’t know how good the haircut I came up with would actually be irl lol, but it’s not about the actual haircut anyway.



* * *

  * In the meantime Mukuro came to his own conclusions. He’s not so certain about them, but he likes to think he’s in a better place now.
  * He didn’t give up on his plans but maybe they don’t have to consume his whole life anymore (or him). Maybe they can all enjoy their life on their way there.
  * And he is even less sure about this whole Harmony business and inheriting of the Vongola through Tsuna, but maybe these people are worth a shot too.
  * It’s in these respective headspaces they face each other again after the rainbow arc. And they’re not hesitant per se, but maybe delicate with how they interact with each other?
  * It’s a whole new dynamic for the both of them after all, and they don’t know yet this version of each other (they themselves have still to find out).



* * *

  * And don’t get me wrong, Mukuro isn’t any less happy for Chrome becoming independent than she is for him getting back his freedom. That’s what he was waiting for after all.
  * But he cares about her, and it’s kind of hard to let her spread her wings fully when he sees the whole world as one big threat to take care of.
  * And I’m talking about Chrome but it’s true for all of them. The Kokuyo gang doesn’t _need_ his protection but Mukuro is sure as hell going to give it to them anyway.
  * That said he deals with that on his own, and doesn’t let it affect either Chrome or their relationship.
  * And eventually they find each other again for good, stronger and better than before. And they only keep growing for the better from then on.
  * And good for them honestly, especially for my girl Chrome<3.



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have some M.M's headcanons too if you want them.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Any and all review are appreciaed. Thank you for reading!
> 
> \--- w_h


	3. Bonus 2: M.M

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s the M.M headcanons I was talking about! Because I think she’s neat and deserves more love<3.
> 
> Enjoy!

  * M.M becomes part of the Kokuyo gang after the Kokuyo arc. When Mukuro makes a deal with Iemitsu to let Ken and Chikusa off the hook, he includes her too.
  * She sees them as the fucked-up-by-the-mafia boys they are, but who wasn’t really? She sees how truly dirty they were done, and this level of dirty _isn’t_ actually common place in the mafia, but she refuses to define them by it.
  * She is _such_ a fresh of breath air to them because of that, and because she doesn’t have this “traumatized by the mafia” aura hanging around her, and actively doesn’t let theirs affect her.
  * And sometimes they just want to hang around someone who doesn’t feel like them. And pretends their trauma doesn’t have to affect every walking living second of their life.
  * (And then they actually start to believe it.)



* * *

  * M.M is _not_ the mom’s friend of the group, _Chikusa_ is.
  * M.M is the sibling going through her rebellious phase and everyone else in the family has to bear with it and suffer through it.
  * You know the Bitch trope? She is _the_ Bitch, and you better believe she weaponized the hell out of this persona.
  * Ken’s and her's love language is insulting each other, and riling up each other, and getting into fights.



* * *

  * She doesn’t like Chrome at first, but not in this really bad trope of girls always being in competition with each other. It’s more something like “Yes, I get it, Mukuro saved you and now you’re practically one and the same person, but _what kind of girl are you?_ ”
  * (What kind of girl is she? What, like she actually _wants_ to find that out?)
  * (She does.)
  * The more she helps Chrome out of her shell and the more friend they become.
  * And she’s not exactly the big sister type of friend. Or if she is, she’s the type of big sister that lets you fall of the bike when you try it for the first time to teach you the way of life lol.



* * *

  * She _is_ a gold digger, and you know what? Good for her<3.
  * But she is a hitwoman first and foremost, and knows better than depending on anyone else than her for money. And you better believe she’s actually loaded with money from her hits.
  * But why spent her money when she can spend someone else’s?<3



* * *

  * You know how anime girls laugh in these animes from the 90’s I think? The laughs that goes “ohohohoho” and gets louder the longer they laugh? I headcanon M.M laughs like that.
  * I also headcanon she grows out of her crush on Mukuro at some point. I like the idea of them being all platonic with each other.



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Any and all review are appreciated. Thank you for reading!
> 
> \--- w_h


End file.
